DHAKA: The head of the world’s chemical weapons watchdog on Thursday prepared to outline plans for the destruction of Syria’s arsenal, including a transfer operation in an Italian port that has already sparked controversy.

Ahmet Üzümcü, director general of the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), will address Italy’s parliament to name the port where the chemicals will initially be taken.

A Danish ship this month took a first cargo of the most dangerous materials from the Syrian port of Latakia and is now back in international waters, awaiting a return to pick up more chemicals under the United Nations plan.

Once the ship has loaded some 500 tonnes of the deadliest compounds, the plan is that it will cross the Mediterranean to Italy, with maritime security provided by various countries including China and Russia.

In an Italian port, the chemicals will then be transferred onto a US ship, the MV Cape Ray, which will destroy them at sea over a period of up to three months using specially-built mobile hydrolysis equipment.

The MV Cape Ray is still in port in the United States and is expected to set off later this week or early next week for the two-week voyage to Italy.

BDST: 1716 HRS, JAN 16, 2014
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor